Premiership: Gloucester 48-10 London Welsh

Henry Trinder was making his first start for Gloucester since September

Gloucester centre Henry Trinder suffered an injury setback as his side cruised to a routine bonus-point Premiership win over London Welsh.

Trinder, making his first start since September after shoulder and hamstring trouble, suffered an early leg injury.

His side then eased into a 27-3 half-time lead as Ross Moriarty, Charlie Sharples and Matt Kvesic scored tries.

Carl Kirwan touched down for Welsh, before Henry Purdy's brace and Sila Puafisi's try sealed Gloucester's win.

With Harlequins losing 32-21 at home to Exeter, the Cherry and Whites' victory lifted them up a place to eighth in the table, while London Welsh have now lost all 25 of their games this season.

But it was a disappointing return for 25-year-old Trinder, who had not started a game since injuring his shoulder in the win over Sale in September.

Gloucester fly-half James Hook and Exiles counterpart Will Robinson exchanged early penalties before Trinder suffered a leg injury in a tackle and was taken off on a stretcher.

Hook soon landed a second penalty to put the hosts back in front before they eased clear as Trinder's replacement Mark Atkinson first sent Moriarty over before Sharples cut through a hole in the Exiles' defence to coast over.

Welsh then lost wing Alan Awcock to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on and Gloucester made the 14 men pay when flanker Kvesic, who later went off with an arm injury, darted over for a third try following a brief hail storm, with Hook adding his third successful conversion.

Kirwan cut the deficit as Welsh worked their way over from a lineout early in the second half.

But there was to be no comeback from the bottom-of-the-table side as Purdy produced two fine finishes, securing a bonus point in the process.

And, with the last play of the game, Puafisi burst through to touch down, with Hook's sixth conversion completing a personal 18-point haul.

Gloucester director of rugby David Humphreys:

"The injuries took the gloss off the win. I'm hugely disappointed for Henry Trinder as he has worked hard to get back.

"Matt Kvesic has a blow to the arm. It looked serious when he came off. You fear the worst but hope for the best.

"However I'm delighted with our five points as it maintains our good start to the year. Welsh came out with an edge in the second half but we still finished with 48 points."

London Welsh forwards coach Matt Ferguson:

"I'm pleased that we didn't roll over as it could have been another 70-point defeat.

"However we don't learn our lessons as we gave them a 20-point start and that gave us a mountain to climb."

Gloucester: Burns; Sharples, Trinder, Meakes, Purdy; Hook, Braley; Murphy, Lutui, Afoa, Savage (capt), Hudson, Moriarty, Kvesic, Kalamafoni.

Replacements: Dawidiuk, Thomas, Puafisi, Stooke, Evans, Robson, Atkinson, Rowan.

London Welsh: Kear; Stegmann, Reynolds, Tincknell, Awcock; Robinson, Weepu; Aholelei, Elloway, Vea, Schofield, Down, West, Kirwan (capt), Pienaar.

Replacements: Morris, Trevett, Gilding, Corker, McCaffrey, R Lewis, Barkley, J Lewis.

Sin-bin: Awcock (25)

Att: 13,500

Referee: Ian Tempest (RFU)